Ekaterina Baron1, Carolina Velez-Mejia2, Michelle Sittig1, John Spiliotis3, Andrei Nikiforchin1, Felipe Lopez-Ramirez1, Vadim Gushchin1, Armando Sardi4. 1. Department of Surgical Oncology, The Institute for Cancer Care, Mercy Medical Center 227 St. Paul Place, 4th Floor Weinberg, Baltimore, MD, 21202-2001, USA. 2. Department of Surgical Oncology, The Institute for Cancer Care, Mercy Medical Center 227 St. Paul Place, 4th Floor Weinberg, Baltimore, MD, 21202-2001, USA; University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA. 3. European Interbalkan Medical Center, Asklipiou 10, Pilea 555 35m, Thessaloniki, Greece; Athens Medical Center, Distomou 5-7, Athens, 151 25, Greece. 4. Department of Surgical Oncology, The Institute for Cancer Care, Mercy Medical Center 227 St. Paul Place, 4th Floor Weinberg, Baltimore, MD, 21202-2001, USA. Electronic address: asardi@mdmercy.com.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Genital necrosis (GN) is a rare complication of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) which can be confused with necrotizing fasciitis. We present an analysis of GN after CRS/HIPEC to define its natural history. METHODS: We identified patients with GN after CRS/HIPEC at two peritoneal surface malignancy institutions. Patient demographic, surgical, and postoperative data were extracted from prospective databases. RESULTS: Of 1597 CRS/HIPECs performed, 13 patients (0.8%) had GN. The median age was 57 years (IQR: 49-64) and 77% (n = 10) were male. Mitomycin-C was the perfusion agent in all cases of GN (100%). The median time to GN onset after CRS/HIPEC was 64 days (IQR: 60-108) and 2 (15%) patients were receiving systemic chemotherapy at the time of GN onset. Symptoms included severe pain (100%), edema (100%), labial or scrotal skin ulceration (92%), signs of infection (39%), and fever (15%). Seven (54%) patients had thrombocytosis >400 ∗109/L, whereas coagulation tests were within normal reference range in 100% cases. All patients initially underwent conservative treatment, with antibiotic therapy administered in 62% (n = 8). Surgical debridement was performed in 9 (70%) cases with median time after GN onset of 57 (IQR: 8-180). CONCLUSION: GN is a debilitating complication after CRS/HIPEC with delayed onset and a protracted clinical course. Optimal treatment results could be achieved with initial conservative management until complete lesion demarcation followed by surgical debridement. The pathophysiology of GN is unclear, and we call for other researchers attention to better understand the complication and prevention.
INTRODUCTION: Genital necrosis (GN) is a rare complication of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) which can be confused with necrotizing fasciitis. We present an analysis of GN after CRS/HIPEC to define its natural history. METHODS: We identified patients with GN after CRS/HIPEC at two peritoneal surface malignancy institutions. Patient demographic, surgical, and postoperative data were extracted from prospective databases. RESULTS: Of 1597 CRS/HIPECs performed, 13 patients (0.8%) had GN. The median age was 57 years (IQR: 49-64) and 77% (n = 10) were male. Mitomycin-C was the perfusion agent in all cases of GN (100%). The median time to GN onset after CRS/HIPEC was 64 days (IQR: 60-108) and 2 (15%) patients were receiving systemic chemotherapy at the time of GN onset. Symptoms included severe pain (100%), edema (100%), labial or scrotal skin ulceration (92%), signs of infection (39%), and fever (15%). Seven (54%) patients had thrombocytosis >400 ∗109/L, whereas coagulation tests were within normal reference range in 100% cases. All patients initially underwent conservative treatment, with antibiotic therapy administered in 62% (n = 8). Surgical debridement was performed in 9 (70%) cases with median time after GN onset of 57 (IQR: 8-180). CONCLUSION: GN is a debilitating complication after CRS/HIPEC with delayed onset and a protracted clinical course. Optimal treatment results could be achieved with initial conservative management until complete lesion demarcation followed by surgical debridement. The pathophysiology of GN is unclear, and we call for other researchers attention to better understand the complication and prevention.
Authors: Samiha N Fagih; Rana M Baghdadi; Aeshah Y Banjer; Amal A Ismail; Majda A Addas; Alaa A Shabkah; Nora H Trabulsi Journal: Cureus Date: 2021-12-23